Time ticking for vote to extend parliament

Labor wants more sitting days to deal with the banking royal commission, but the opposition is unlikely to have the numbers to win a vote in parliament.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison leaves the chamber

Labor wants to extend federal parliament by two weeks in March but the government is opposed to it. (AAP)

Time is ticking for Labor to try and extend federal parliament by two weeks in March.

Labor wants parliament to sit longer to deal with the banking royal commission's recommendations but has just one more day to force a vote on the issue ahead of the April 2 budget.

The opposition must win over all seven crossbenchers on Thursday to achieve the 76 votes it needs in the House of Representatives to add the extra sitting days next month.

But Labor is unlikely to get the support it needs, with independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie sceptical that adding extra sitting days will lead to meaningful process on the recommendations.

"It could even be counter-productive seeing as the extra days would be so soon, and so few, as to not allow time to properly prepare, scrutinise and debate the necessary bills in both houses of parliament," he said.

"Of course we must implement the recommendations as soon as possible. But we've got to get it right.

"The last thing we want is a cluster of botched laws that help no one and even make matters worse."

Independent Queensland MP Bob Katter is also unsure as to whether he would support a push for more sitting days, with a spokeswoman telling AAP he's concerned about the cost.

His primary concern is helping flood-stricken farmers in north Queensland, she added.

The government is opposed to more sitting days, arguing that fast-tracking a response to the recommendations would be reckless.

Labor has drawn up three bills to deal with the banking royal commission recommendations it says parliament should deal with straight away.

The proposed laws would remove grandfathered commissions for financial planners from January 1, 2020, immediately ban the exploitation of indigenous people through the selling of funeral insurance, and ensure banks co-operate promptly with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

They would also remove point-of-sale exemptions for credit sales such as car loans, and remove an exemption that means the corporate regulator has no oversight of insurance claims.


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Source: AAP


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